Eight African American employees of a Texas sanitation company have filed a lawsuit claiming discrimination and retaliation.

Dantrell Patterson, Lamonte Young, Demetrius Patterson, Tadarious Dixon, Keithdrick Patterson, Jarvis Hill, Jermaine Bell and Derrick Robert filed the lawsuit against Sanitation Solutions Inc. in the Marshall Division of the Eastern District of Texas on April 20. The plaintiffs claim that the defendant subjected them to acts of intentional discrimination based on race and color.

The lawsuit claims they were surrounded by a “systemic atmosphere of bigotry” at work. They claim Sanitation Solutions management and co-workers used racial slurs and referred to black employees as “boy,” and that a swastika and nooses were displayed at work locations and on trucks. The plaintiffs allege that they were subjected to harassment and discrimination, and retaliated against after they registered complaints about the treatment. The plaintiffs also claim that white workers were paid more than black employees doing the same work, and received lighter discipline than black workers in similar situations, with some of the plaintiffs being discharged. According to the complaint, when the plaintiffs retained counsel and presented management with a written list of grievances, the remaining employees had their employment terminated.

The plaintiffs are seeking damages, front pay, punitive damages, pre- and post-judgment interest, attorney’s fees, an injunction preventing the defendant from engaging in unlawful practices or retaliating against the plaintiffs, reinstatement, and other proper and necessary relief. A jury trial is demanded.

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